Welcome back to Season Four of Through the Glass Recovery!

We’re kicking off this season with a conversation that gets to the heart of what so many of us wrestle with: how do you actually create a life so full there’s no space left for alcohol?

You’ve probably seen the quotes and memes: “Create a life you don’t want to escape from.” It sounds amazing, but what does that really look like in day-to-day life? How do you start to enjoy life after quitting drinking? In this episode, Julie, Steve, Amber, Matt, and Robbie share the real and practical ways they’ve discovered joy, connection, and meaning in sobriety - along with the things they’ve had to let go of.

It’s about learning to live fully awake, present, and grateful for the moments - big and small - that make life worth showing up for.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Why connection is the foundation of a meaningful sober life
• How concerts, adventures, and family experiences feel richer without alcohol
• The surprising truth about activities that aren’t as fun when you’re sober - and why that’s okay
• The power of small joys, like a cup of tea, nature, or laughter with friends
• How sobriety changes the way we feel emotions - making both the hard and beautiful moments deeper
• Why removing clutter, noise, or old habits can be just as important as adding new experiences
• Stories of rediscovering hobbies and passions with fresh meaning in sobriety

Whether you’re early in recovery or years into your journey, this conversation is filled with encouragement, laughter, and real talk about building a life that feels vibrant, fulfilling, and most importantly - like your own.

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Learn more about our guests by visiting the full show notes on our website: https://throughtheglassrecovery.com/podcast/enjoy-life-after-quitting-drinking/

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• Full podcast episode library
• Free Zoom virtual support group
• Affordable one-on-one recovery coaching
• The No Alcohol Needed blog by Julie Miller

Welcome to Season 4 of Through the Glass Recovery Podcast!

After taking a longer summer break than normal, we're back with some real conversation about burnout, rest, and why this podcast matters so much to us. In this episode, we catch up, reflect on a summer filled with grief, joy, persistence, and adventure, and share how recovery tools continue to carry us through real life.

From moments of heartbreak to moments of magic, this conversation reminds us that recovery is about learning to face everything life throws at us without numbing. And with that comes deeper joy than we ever imagined possible.

Takeaways:

• Taking breaks is essential for mental health and creativity.
• Vulnerability leads deeper connections with others.
• Managing stress requires tools and strategies.
• Grief is a process that cannot be rushed or prepared for.
• Simple moments of joy can be healing and transformative.
• Recovery is about facing life's challenges with clarity and strength.
• The journey of sobriety continues to reveal deeper levels of joy.
• Sharing experiences can help others feel less alone in their struggles.

We’d love to hear from you! Send us your feedback at throughtheglassrecovery@gmail.com or connect on Instagram. And if this episode resonates with you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or subscribe to our new YouTube channel to watch the conversations in action.

We’re bringing back one of our most popular episodes this week while we get ready to launch brand new content. This conversation about perfectionism and recovery struck a chord with so many of you, and for good reason - it’s real, relatable, and packed with wisdom. Enjoy this re-release, and we’ll be back next week with fresh episodes you won’t want to miss.

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In this powerful episode, our group dives deep into the connection between perfectionism and addiction and how striving to be flawless can sabotage sobriety, self-worth, and emotional healing. Jessica, Sarah, Erica, Hope, Julie, and Steve share raw and honest stories of how perfectionism shaped their drinking, and what it looks like to work through those tendencies in recovery.

From redefining success and learning to sit with mistakes, to practicing self-compassion and choosing authenticity over image, this conversation is full of insight, laughter, and “me too” moments for anyone struggling with not feeling good enough.

Key Topics in this Episode:

• Defining our own standards of “good enough”
• Authentic connection requires allowing others to see our imperfection
• How perfectionism and overachieving go hand in hand to sabotage your mental wellbeing and sobriety
• The intertwined journeys of recovery and how they all affect one another
• Perfectionism as a sense of control
• Recovering from perfectionism is an ebb and flow – some days are easier than others
• The tools of sobriety also support recovering from perfectionism
• Being a perfectionist can stop you from self reflecting, not wanting to admit your flaws and shortcomings – and therefore stopping you from ever working on them.

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To learn more about our guests, visit the full podcast show notes:

https://throughtheglassrecovery.com/podcast/perfectionism-and-alcoholism/

For access to all of the resources Through the Glass Recovery has to offer, including

- FREE live virtual support group

- 1:1 coaching

- Informative blog articles

- A full podcast episode library

visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com

We’re nearing the end of our summer break, but we’re still sharing some of our favorite episodes with you through the end of August. This week’s replay is one that resonates with so many in recovery: rebuilding trust after you stop drinking. It’s a topic that hits close to home for nearly everyone on this journey - because even after we put down the drink, our relationships and our own self-trust don’t heal overnight.

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For many of us, our actions and behaviors have left our family and loved ones no longer trusting us, even after we’ve stopped drinking. So that begs the question – how do you regain trust after quitting alcohol? We’ve gathered Rachael, founder of Addict with Purpose; Michael, founder of SoberPress; and our adventurous friend Nadine to talk about what regaining trust from others – and in ourselves – has looked like in our lives.

In this episode:

• Learning to trust oneself
• Consistency and time as the foundation of trust
• Learning to do things that build trust
• The value of authenticity in trust building
• Honesty is a core component of trust
• Living the apology
• Understanding that we can’t put a timeframe on someone else’s trust
• How to apologize with action
• Learning to trust yourself through the hard times
• Humility and its role in building trust
• Also: learning to trust others

For all of the resources we offer at Through the Glass Recovery, including:

- FREE weekly support group on Zoom

- A full library of over 150 podcast episodes

- blog articles

- 1:1 coaching

Visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com

We’re continuing our summer re-release series while we take a short break from new episodes until September. This week, we’re bringing back a powerful conversation about something almost every sober person wrestles with at some point: boredom. If you're sober but struggling to fill your time or feeling like life has lost its spark, this episode is for you.

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When you’ve been sober for a bit, boredom seems to be one of the first challenges that shows up. How to fill all that free time? This is especially true if you don’t have any hobbies, or if your social life revolved around drinking.

In this episode, we’re joined by Adriana from Dear Recovery, Jason from Sober Gangster, and sober rapper Gina (Modern Day Monk) to talk about how we dealt with boredom in early sobriety, and how we deal with it now that we’ve been doing this for awhile.

If you struggle to fill your time and find yourself wishing away the hours in the day, this episode is for you!

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In this episode:

• Loneliness and boredom sometimes go hand in hand
• Connecting with others is an almost instant cure to boredom
• Rediscovering hobbies that alcohol had pushed aside
• Learning not to overwhelm yourself with activities and to-do lists
• Exploring the link between creativity and drinking
• New hobbies and activities help build recovery skills
• Boredom is not a bad thing!
• Boredom is the door to creativity and trying new things
• Learning to appreciate the stillness and quiet
• Boredom encourages self reflection and “doing the work” of recovery
• Asking yourself, “Where’s the void in my life?” and having the courage to address it
• Discovering “biohacks” to make life – and sobriety – easier and more comfortable

Want to learn more about the EFT tapping that Adriana mentions? Check out this link.

The group also discusses the benefits of cold plunging.

If you’re still struggling with boredom in sobriety, check out this past episode, where a different group of people share their experiences.

To learn more about our guests, visit the original show notes on our website:

https://throughtheglassrecovery.com/podcast/boredom-in-sobriety-2/

For tons of sobriety resources, including free support meetings, blog articles, a full library of podcast episodes, and 1:1 coaching, visit our official website:

throughtheglassrecovery.com

We’re bringing back one of our all-time favorite episodes this week. If you’ve ever struggled with self doubt or felt uncertain about your purpose, this one’s going to stick with you.

In this conversation, we’re joined by sober motivational speakers Jacob Brown and Martin Lockett, along with the always powerful voice of Through the Glass regular, Molly. Together, we explore how self doubt creeps in, how it holds us back, and how we can move through it with courage, clarity, and community.

You’ll hear stories of facing fear, letting go of old narratives, and learning to live in alignment with personal values. We talk about what it means to define purpose, how to connect with your own "why," and why having support around you matters so much.

If you’ve ever told yourself you’re not ready, not good enough, or not qualified, this episode is your reminder that those thoughts are just part of the process. You’re not alone, and you’re not stuck.

A few of the topics we cover:

• Recognizing how self doubt and impostor syndrome show up

• Giving yourself permission to try

• Living by your values instead of fear

• The power of positive self talk and affirmations

• Why vulnerability and connection are key to finding purpose

• Speaking your goals into reality

• The Japanese concept of Ikigai

• Letting go of who you think you’re supposed to be, so you can become who you are

One of our favorite quotes from this episode: “Self doubt and impostor syndrome only come right before something amazing is about to happen.” – Jacob Brown

This re-release is full of wisdom, heart, and powerful perspective shifts. We’re so excited to share it with you again.

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To learn about this week’s guests, visit the official show notes:

https://throughtheglassrecovery.com/podcast/finding-purpose-recovery/

For tons of free sobriety resources, visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com or click any of the following links:

• A full library of podcast episodes
• Free sobriety support group on Zoom
• 1:1 Coaching with Julie or Steve
• Julie’s sobriety blog - No Alcohol Needed

This week, we’re re-releasing one of our most downloaded and talked-about episodes: What if AA Doesn’t Work for You?

Alcoholics Anonymous is often the first (and sometimes only) option people hear about when they decide to get sober. But while AA has helped many people build lasting recovery, it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. And if it didn’t work for you - or didn’t feel like quite enough - you’re not alone.

In this conversation, our guests share what led them to AA, what they found there, and why they eventually sought something different. Whether you’ve tried the 12 steps and felt out of place, or you’ve been wondering if there are other paths to sobriety, this episode is a powerful reminder that there’s no single right way to recover.

It’s okay to want more support, a different approach, or a path that better fits who you are. Recovery isn’t about fitting into a mold - it’s about finding what actually works for you.

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To learn about this week’s guests, visit the official show notes:

https://throughtheglassrecovery.com/podcast/what-if-aa-doesnt-work/

For tons of sobriety resources, visit our website at throughtheglassrecovery.com or click any of the following links:

• A full library of podcast episodes
• Free sobriety support group on Zoom
• 1:1 Coaching with Julie or Steve
• Julie’s sobriety blog

We’re taking a summer break from recording new episodes, and while we recharge, we’re bringing back some of our most important conversations - like this one.

This week’s episode explores something we don’t talk about enough: the connection between eating disorders and alcohol use disorder. Research shows that up to 50% of people with an eating disorder will also struggle with substance abuse, often as a way to cope with trauma, stress, and deep emotional pain.

In this honest and vulnerable conversation, three brave women share how their disordered eating and alcohol use were connected - and what recovery has looked like when facing both. Whether you’ve dealt with one, the other, or both, their stories offer hope, insight, and a reminder that you’re not alone.

Key Topics in This Episode:

• How food keeps you silent
• Eating disorders and alcohol abuse are both related to trauma and stress
• Overcoming shame as a key component in the recovery of each
• Eating disorders as a way to deal with difficult emotions, when you don’t have the right tools
• Fitting in, trying to be attractive, and it’s impact on your relationship with food
• Alcohol urges and cravings are similar to the binge/purge urges
• When you body is off balance – learning to recognize hunger cues and feeling full
• Overexercise as a symtpom of addictive behavior
• Learning how to feel
• Body scanning and body mapping as tools for recovery
• Learning to catch emotions before they become unhealthy
• How dopamine fits into the picture

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To learn more about this week's guests, visit the full show notes at https://throughtheglassrecovery.com/podcast/eating-disorders-and-alcoholism/

Visit our website for tons of sobriety resources:

• A full library of podcast episodes
• FREE support group on Zoom
• 1:1 coaching with Julie or Steve
• Julie's blog